Receptacle for containing and discharging semisolid and pasty substances.



J. P. CRAVEN.

D DISOHARGING SEMISOLID AND PASTY SUBSTANCES. APPLICATION FILED APR. 1, 1912.

1,036,971, Patented Aug. 27, 1912. N

' REGIBPTAGLE FOR CONTAINING AN WITNESSES INVENTOR W d fi M 5%; WW

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH 60.. WASHINGTON, n. c.

.IINITEED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES IE. CRAVEN, 0F PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOIR, TO CRAVEN ENGI- NEERING COMPANY, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENN- SYLVANIA.

RECEPTACLE FOR CONTAINING AND DISCHARGING SEMISOLID AND PASTY SUBSTANCES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 2'7, 1912.

Application filed April 1, 1912. Serial N 0. 687,713.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES F. CRAVEN, a resident of Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Receptacles for Containing and Discharging Semisolid and Pasty Substances, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to receptacles for. containing, storing, transporting, and discharging semi-solid and pasty substances.

The device is intended more particularly for putting up lubricant-s in the form of greases for the purpose of enabling grease to be supplied to bearings without liability: of dirt or grit entering the bearings with the grease, and also to prevent smearing ori soiling the machinery or the hands of the@ workmen. The invention is not limited,. however, to this particular'use but is adapti ed for putting up in substantially sealed; condition any semi-solid or fluid substances, such as soap, Vaseline, butter, cosmetics, etc., i and for delivering the same from the con-% tainer in quantities as desired.

The invention is an improvement upon? that described andshown in my prior application, filed January 29, 1912, Serial Number 674,039, for a receptacle of the character stated. f

The objects of the invention are to pro-{ vide an improved form and arrangement of winding shaft and key for operating the movable piston or follower, and to provide? an improved form and arrangement of con-1 tainer which can be stored for packing or shipping, or in the tool box of an automobile, or like places, without any of its parts projecting beyond the wall of the container, and which therefore occupies less room than. prior containers.

The invention comprises the construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of a device constructed according to my invention; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same; Fig. 3 is a sectional View, corresponding to Fig. 1, and showing the winding key in another position; and Fig. 4; is a plan view of the arrangement of parts shown in Fig. 3.

The receptacle or container may be of any desired size or shape, but preferably is formed of a substantial cylindrical tube 1, which may be formed of glass, porcelain, black plate, or tin plate, or, if preferred, of some thin and less expensive material, as paste or paper board, and is shown as formed of the latter. If preferred, it may be provided with a sheath or cover of the type shown and described in my prior application, Serial No. 677,529, filed Feb. 14, 1912. One end of the receptacle is-permanently closed by a suitable head or cap 2, which is shown as composed of sheet metal and having its edge or periphery crimped to and over the paper tube. The other end of the container is closed by a second head or cap 3, which may be secured to the container in any manner, as, for example, in the same manner as the cap 2, and may be of any preferred material, as thin sheet metal. Centrally disposed in the head or cap 3 is a mouth or spout 1, provided at its end with a rotatable closure or cover 5. Preferably, registering openings 6 are formed in the cover and the end of the mouth or spout 4, and extending circumferentially part way around the container. By rotation of the cover 5, these openings may be moved into and out of registration with each other to open and close the container, as will be readily understood.

Mounted to move end-wise through the length of the container, is a suitable piston or follower 6. This may be formed either as. a solid block of wood, or of sheet metal, heavy paper, or other material, or may be of the construction shown in my copending application, Serial No. 687,712 filed April 1, 1912, and formed of a disk or head 7 and a sleeve or flange 8, having extended bearing in and closely fitting and sliding along the inside of the wall of the receptacle, one of these members being rigid and the other collapsible, as in my application last mentioned.

Suitable means is provided for moving the piston or follower 6 end-wise through the container. In the form illustrated this comprises a flat band or strip 9 of flexible sheet metal, but, if desired, may be a wire or cord, and which is wound upon a rod or shaft 10 at one end of the container. Shaft 10 may be mounted at either end of the container, but in the form shown is mounted at the discharge end thereof. To provide suitable bearings for the shaft, the wall of the mouth or spout 4 is provided with a pair of oppositely disposed apertures 11 in which the shaft 10 rotates. One end of the shaft is bent to form a suitable enlarged key or handle 12 for turning the shaft, and which prevents end-wise removal of the shaft from the container in one direction, as is obvious. The other end of the shaft is headed over, riveted or upset, as at 13, to form an enlargement or shoulder on the end of the shaft to prevent its withdrawal or removal from the container in the other direction. Suitable connection is provided between the flexible connector 9 and the shaft 10. In the form shown, this is of the same type as that described and illustrated in my prior application, Serial No. 674,039 referred to, and

comprises a spring 14, closely or snugly coiled about that portion of the shaft 10 within the mouth or spout 4. The spring 14 is formed with a straight middle portion or loop 15 connecting opposite branches 16 which are coiled in the same directionaround, but in opposite directions along, the

shaft 10. To secure the flexible connector 9 v to the spring 14, the end portion of the flexible connector is passed through the loop 15 of spring 14, and folded back upon and se cured to itself, as by riveting or otherwise,

The spring 14 is made of spring wire, and is coiled around the shaft 10 under such tension that if the shaft 10 is rotated by its handle 12 in a clock-wise direction, the coils of the spring close up and grip the rod or shaft with such force as to cause the spring to rotate bodily with the rod or shaft. The

greater the force which is exerted to turn the rod or shaft in a clock-wise direction the greater is the tendency to grip the shaft and rotate therewith. The turning of the shaft in this direction, therefore, causes the flexi ble connector 9 to be Wound up upon the central portion of the shaft and move the piston or follower 6 along the container, as will be readily understood. If, however, the rod or shaft 10 is rotated backwardly, or in a counter clock-wise direction, the coils of the spring open up slightly and permit the rod or shaft to rotate loosely therein without carrying the coils of the sprin With the shaft during such rotation. So ar, the operation is the same as in my prior application referred to.

of the spring 14 grip the shaft with sufficient friction to prevent end-wise movement of the rod or shaft therethrough. By exerting a little extra pressure end-Wise, the shaft may be moved longitudinally through the apertures 11 and spring 14 to cause either end of its straight portion to projectfrom the mouth or spout 4.

In use of the device, to discharge a portion of its contents, the shaft is moved endwise until the key or handle 12 projects be- "yond the outer wall of the casing 1, in the manner shown in Figs. 1 and 2. When sufficient of the contents have been discharged from the container, the key or handle 12 is rotated slightly backwardly and loosely, as described, until it is parallel to the plane of cap or closure 3. This backward rotation decreases the friction between the coils 16 and the shaft 10, and by then pressing endwise upon the key end of the shaft it may be moved to the position shown in Figs. 3 and 4, with the upset end 13 of the shaft projecting from the mouth or spout 4.

In the position of the parts described, both the rod and its handle are contained within the outer limits of the wall of casing 1. The containers may therefore be nested or packed closer together and more compactly than prior containers. Moreover, in

storing away containers for grease, as used upon automobiles for example, the container occupies less room in the tool box, and in removing it from the tool box there are no projecting parts which might catch on other articles and confuse various other articles in the tool box. I also prefer to space the rod or shaft 10 from the end closure 3 by a distance less than half the length of handle 12. Thus when the parts are in the position shown in Figs. 8 and 4 the ends of the handle 12 engage with the end closure and prevent any accidental rotation of the operating rod or shaft in either direction. Other advantages of the invent-ion will be obvious.

What I caim is 1. A device of the character described comprising a receptacle having a discharge orifice, a piston or follower in said receptacle arranged when moved to force the contents through the discharge orifice, and a shaft for moving said piston, said winding shaft having a key or handle at its end and being endwise movable in both directions through the container to permit said key or handle to be placed either within or beyond the limits of the receptacle.

2. A device of the character described comprising a receptacle having a discharge orifice, a piston or follower in said receptacle arranged when moved to force'the conwinding shaft having connections for moving said piston, said winding shaft extending transversely across the said receptacle and being of substantially the same length as the diameter of the receptacle, said winding shaft being endwise movable in both directions to project one of its ends beyond or to withdraw thesame within the limits of the receptacle.

3. A device of the character described comprising a receptacle having a discharge orifice, a piston or follower in said receptacle arranged when moved to force the contents through the discharge orifice, and a winding shaft having connections for moving said piston, said Winding shaft extending transversely across the said receptacle and being of substantially the same length as the diameter of the receptacle, said winding shaft being provided at one end with a key or handle and endwise movable in both directions and arranged to permit the key or handle to be projected beyond the limits of the receptacle or withdrawn within the same.

4. A device of the character described comprising, a receptacle having a reduced mouth or spout at one end provided with a discharge orifice, a piston or follower in said receptacle arranged when moved to force the contents through the discharge orifice, a winding shaft extending transversely across said receptacle and through the wall of said mouth or spout, said winding shaft being provided with connections to operate said piston or follower and being of substantially the same length as the largest diameter of said receptacle and being movable endwise in both directions through said mouth or spout to project said key or handle beyond the outer limit of said receptacle or to withdraw it within the same.

5. A device of the character described comprising a receptacle having a discharge orifice, a piston or follower in said receptacle arranged when moved to force the contents through the discharge orifice, a flexible connector for moving said piston, a rotatable shaft for said connector, and a loose connection between said connector and shaft, said shaft being provided at one end with a key or handle for turning the same and movable with respect to said connections and said receptacle to project the key or handle beyond or to withdraw it within the outer limit of the receptacle.

6. A device of the character described comprising a receptacle having a discharge orifice, a piston or follower in said receptacle arranged when moved to force the contents through the discharge orifice, a flexible connector for moving the piston, a rotatable shaft mounted in said receptacle, a spring loosely coiled on said shaft and con necting said shaft and flexible connector, said shaft being movable endwise in both directions through said receptacle and spring and being provided with a key at one end.

7. A device of the character described comprising a receptacle having at one end a reduced mouth or spout provided with a discharge orifice, a piston or follower in said receptacle arranged when moved to force the contents through the discharge orifice, a winding shaft extending transversely across said receptacle and through said mouth or spout and connected to said piston or follower for moving the same, said shaft being provided with a handle or key for turning the same and movable endwise in both directions through said mouth or spout, said handle or key in one position of the shaft serving to rotate the same and arranged in another position of the shaft to engage the end of the receptacle to prevent rotation of the shaft in either direction.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

JAMES F. CRAVEN. Witnesses:

ELBERT L. HYDE, MARY E. CAHOON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

